Another SWAT Kat
by Ria Wei
Summary: A fierce she kat walks up with a letter from Feral. How are the SWAT Kats supposed to cope? And why is she so cold? Will she open up, or is it too late? ChanceXOC, slight JakeXFelina.


"Hey, Chance, pass me that wrench, will ya?" Jake, a handsome ginger tabby with amber eyes, reached out for a wrench from his best friend. When he got nothing, he got a little irked. "Chance?"

"Who's that?"

"Who's who?" Jake got out form under the car he was working on and looked around.

"That kat coming this way." Chance, who was a head bigger than Jake and almost twice as wide with cream fur and ginger stripes, and with deep, blue eyes, leaned against the doorway of the garage and watched a kat walk towards them.

The kat was a rather good-looking she-kat, a bit small, but she was obviously well built. Her deep orange fur had gray stripes on it, much like a tigers'. Her eyes were bright, keen amber, and were framed by a head full of black hair. She carried a small bag over her shoulder and looked ready to kill some kat in her blood red shirt and black jeans.

"Chance Furlong?" she asked curtly.

"Who wants to know?"

"CHANCE!" Jake hit his arm. "Sorry about him. I'm Jake Clawson."

"Oh, right. Feral mentioned you."

"What?"

She held out an envelope. "This is from Feral."

Chance took the envelope and read the letter inside. It read:

"Clawson and Furlong,

This troublemaker is almost as bad as you two! She's to stay with you and help pay off your debt. I don't care how you do it, but keep an eye on her, or it'll be the jailhouse for you.

Commander Feral"

"WHAT!" Chance would have torn up the letter had Jake not saved it.

"I dunno, Chance," he said after skimming it over. "Feral might have done us a favor." He turned to the she kat. "I suppose you have a name?"

She studied him for a moment before answering, "Tigress. Tigress Furly."

"Hiya, Tigress." Jake smiled pleasantly. "We had no notice, but if you give us a few minutes, we can get a guest room ready."

"I can help." She gave him a ghost of a smile. "I may look small, but you'd be surprised at how much I can get done."

"I have no doubt about that. Come on." He led her to one of the guest rooms to get it cleaned up, while Chance went to work on a car.

"I take it your friend doesn't like me?" Tigress asked as she and Jake stacked boxes.

"It's not you, its just Feral. He's always trying to make life hard for us."

"Well, Feral's made my life a bit messy too. I got slammed because I didn't obey an order."

"Really? Us too. He told us to back off when we could have taken Dark Kat down."

"He told me to fire, but he didn't see the kats it would harm. I would rather be Dark Kat's prisoner than hurt innocent kats."

"Well, we agree with you on that." Jake looked at the now clean room. "Well, it isn't five stars, but that's all we can do for now."

"It's ok. I like it." She looked around and sighed. "Better than the orphanage I grew up in, that's for sure." Then she headed for the door. "So, boss, what's first?"

Jake grinned. "You can fix cars?"

"Only in my sleep."

"Really?" Chance poked his head out from under his car. "That I would like to see."

"Bring it."

"Then let's go." Chance showed her a car. "Fix that one."

"No problem." She rolled up her sleeves.

"Uh, don't you want something to cover up with first?"

"Do you have anything extra?" She crossed her arms and waited for Jake to get her a spare mechanics suit.

"It might be kind of big for you, but we'll find a way to fix it."

"Don't worry. I had to sew for a while in the orphanage. But that can wait." She slipped the suit on over her clothes and grabbed a wrench before disappearing under the car.

Jake and Chance shrugged at each other and went back to work.

An hour later, Tigress reappeared. "Done." She set her tools down and stretched.

Jake looked in the car. "Wow! Hey, this isn't half bad."

Chance peeked in too. "Huh."

"Chance." Jake nudged him hard. "Stop it."

"What, that's not good enough?" Tigress looked ready to take on any challenge. "Give me the worst one in here, and it'll be good as new, if not better."

"Fine. Take the blue one."

"Fine."

Jake watched as the two went in opposite directions. 'Wow. This'll take a while to get used to.'

Three hours and a very sore back later, Tigress had the engine under the blue car's hood purring.

"Come on, Chance, admit it. That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, it's alright, I guess."

Tigress put down the hood as the owner of the car walked up. "Is it fixed yet?" snapped a burly tomkat.

"Right here, sir." Tigress held up a key and respectfully held the door open for him. "Try it out."

The tom grabbed the key and started the engine. "I haven't heard this car sound like that in years!" he said when he heard the engine. "I thought this would be the end of this old thing."

Tigress just grinned and wiped a spot off the hood. "We aim to please."

"So you do." The tom took out a checkbook. "How much?"

Chance told him the price. "For the work done in three hours, just eight hundred."

"Alright, then." The tom wrote on a check, gave it to Tigress, then hopped in his car and drove off.

Tigress waved until he was out of sight, then gave the check to Jake.

"Whoa!" Jake stared at the check. "Look at the number!"

"What?" Chance looked at the check. It had $1,500 written on it. "That's almost double what we said."

"And?" Tigress grabbed an apple to munch on, since she skipped lunch. "He was happy with the car." She gave Chance a sassy wink. "You're welcome." She walked outside while Jake laughed.

"Very funny, Jake." Chance waited for Jake to stop. "But what are we going to do when we're needed? What are we gonna tell her?"

"I dunno… maybe we can trust her."

"Jake, have you lost your mind?"

"Chance, she's been through the exact same thing we have. She was an enforcer and Feral gave her the boot because she could do the job he still can't."

"Jake, what if she's just here to spy for Feral?"

"No more spy movies for you."

"Jake, think about it. If that's true and Feral finds out, our nine lives are pretty much over."

"I know that. Still, I think we should trust her."

"I think you're crazy."

"If I'm crazy, you're insane."

"That I can agree with." Tigress walked back in and smirked. "What's next?"

"Quitting time." Jake almost purred. "We've been working all day. It's time to eat."

"Hey, Scaredy Kat might be on."

"Chance, I doubt Tigr-"

"YOU like that show?" Tigress stared at Chance in disbelief.

"Yeah, why?"

"I've only been watching every episode I can since I was a kitten!"

"No way!"

"Oh, great." Jake pulled his hat over his eyes. "No more David Litterbin."

"He's funny too." Tigress smiled at Jake. "It depends on what mood I'm in."

"Joy." Both toms rolled their eyes.

"Hey, having to live with two toms isn't exactly a picnic for me, either." Tigress crossed her arms. "But, I've been taught to make due, so I'm not complaining. It's better than the slammer, at any rate."

"Yeah." Jake rubbed his paws together. "So… know how to cook?"

"Yeah, need help?"

"Please."

They made a pretty good team in the kitchen, actually agreeing that Chance had no place there. Once they'd eaten, Chance went to watch TV, Jake joined him after doing dishes, and Tigress went for a walk.

"So." Jake muted a commercial. "I thought about Tigress."

"Yeah?"

"I really think we should just tell her. She'll find out sooner or later anyway."

"I dunno, Jake. We've been trying to keep this secret for so long now and we're just suddenly gonna trust a kat we just met? A she kat, no less. How does that make sense?"

"I know, Chance. But we could really use the help. Think about it. Having another SWAT kat would be useful."

"I just don't know, Jake."

"Give it time. Say, where is she anyway? She said she'd only be gone for a few."

"Right here." Tigress limped into the room and went straight for the first aid kit.

"Tigress, what happened?" Jake jumped up to help her.

"Nothing, just ran into a few old buddies." She wrapped up her arm, which was bleeding rather badly. "They weren't too happy to see me."

"Why don't you tell us what happened." Jake looked ready for absolutely no nonsense.

"Well, I don't have a choice, do I?" She finished her arm and sighed. "Alright. See, these buddies of mine blamed me for losing a wrestling match."

"That's it?" Chance put in.

"Be quiet! No, that's not all. It was the first match I ever lost. When I was very small, the leader of this gang took me from my home. I don't even know where I was born, or how old I am, but I have several hunches. Anyway, they raised me to be a fighter. I was put up against kittens bigger than me, and I could win every time. I was undefeatable. Then, there was that one. I went in, feeling great. But this was a different arena, and none of the rules were the same. They gassed the cage, and we went at it. I was strong in a lot of ways, but surviving gas wasn't one of them. I'm not sure if it was the gas, or the punches that knocked me out, but I lost that day, and was left to rot in the street. Especially because this gang had put every dollar they owned on me."

"So your past was really rough." Jake put up the first aid kit and sat beside her.

"You could say that. The reason I was gone tonight was to see if I could find any info on my parents. Who I really am."

"Maybe we can help you." Jake looked at Chance, who sighed and nodded. "We have secrets too, and living with each other will be hard if we can't trust. Come with us."

He and Chance led the way into the hangar. "This is SWAT Kat headquarters."

"Holy kats." Tigress looked around and gazed in awe at the many machines that littered the place. "Is that-?"

"The Turbo Kat? Yep. Wanna look inside?"

"Do I?" She leapt up into the cockpit and laughed. "WHOO! If only the enforcer jets looked like this!"

"Hey, now, speaking of the Enforcers," Chance tugged at her pant leg.

"Hey, don't!" She lost her balance and fell on top of him. "You really shouldn't do that."

"I noticed. Now get off my back!"

"Touchy." She stood and went to Jake, who was looking up information on their computer. "So, what are you looking for?"

"You said you have an idea of when you were born. If you'd tell me, I could narrow down the list."

"You mean, you guys are going to help me? Why?"

"We want to help out. Right, Chance?"

"Well, I'm just curious, but that works too."

"Chance!" Jake shook his head. "So, you willing? And, you probably realize that no one on earth can know about this."

"Yeah, of course. I think it was around twenty years ago."

"That's not too long ago, when you think about it," Chance said, towering over her.

"I said about, Kitty," she hissed.

"Ok, cooling it." Jake pulled up several files. "Ok, so, twenty years ago… Do you remember your original name?"

"No. I only remember the building they took me from. It was brown, with white trim, I think."

"Do you remember the street?"

"No. I only remember the first number of the address."

"It's better than nothing."

"It was a seven."

"Looking." Jake pulled up several other files. "Ok, I think I have something." He pulled up several pictures. "Look at these and see if any stand out." All the pictures were of brown houses with a seven for the beginning of the street number.

"Nope." She shook her head. "I know it was in a dirtier part of town, so it was none of these. Maybe it was repainted over the years."

"Maybe." Jake put down the screen and opened another file. "These are all the kittens born in the last twenty to thirty years. Any idea how big you were?"

"None."

"Okay… Any idea if those stripes were always there?"

"As far as I know."

"Stripped kittens… Ok, we got a list. Orange-"

"Actually, it's brown. I got it dyed a year ago."

"Ok, brown. Are the stripes really gray?"

"Yep."

"Ok, brown and gray stripes… There's the list." He started to sort through it. Any idea who your parents were? What they looked like?"

"No."

"Okay. Let me try something." Jake stood and found a needle. "If I can get a blood sample and use that, I just might find it."

"Go for it." Tigress held out her paw and let Jake prick it, then squeeze it onto a tiny dish. "Now for the fun part." Jake started sorting through all the DNA samples of all the different kittens. "This might take a while. Tigress, why don't you go take something? Chance, go help her."

"But-" Chance started when Jake stomped on his paw. "OW! Alright, I'm goin'."

They went upstairs where Chance gave Tigress a pain pill. Then they returned to the hangar.

"I think I got it," Jake said excitedly, pulling up a file. "BINGO! It's an exact match!"

"So, what's it say?" Chance peeked over his shoulder, while Tigress hung back, almost afraid of her past now.

"Tigress- you ok?" Jake reached out for her and eased her closer to the screen. "I know it's probably a shock."

"Yeah. Just tell me."

"It says here that your age is actually twenty three, that's only three years younger than Chance, and that your real name is- Ayoka. Ayoka Steelclaw."

"Ayoka. Wow, that's a switch."

"Your parents… oh…"

"I already knew they were gone. Stripes was so proud of the way he made them scream." Her claws came out and her fur stood on end.

"Yo, Tigr- er- Ayoka, easy." Jake waved a paw in front of her face. "Calm down."

"Sorry." Her claws went back in and her fur relaxed. "They're not pleasant memories."

"We understand. It's been a rough day, maybe we should all go to sleep."

"Good idea." Chance sped up the ladder.

"He's a lot nicer after a good night's sleep." Jake told Ayoka.

"He must be. Even Stripes was nicer than that!"

The next morning, the two toms woke up and found that Ayoka had gone into town. At least, that's what the note she left on the table said.

"Well, do we go get her, do we wait, what?" Chance asked as he sipped his coffee.

"She's a fully grown she kat, I don't think she'd be happy if we went after her."

"No, she wouldn't." Ayoka walked in and went straight for the coffee while the toms started at her.

When she'd gone into town, she'd gotten the orange dye cleaned from her fur. Now, she had deep, chocolate brown fur with the gray stripes.

"ME-YOW." Chance teased as she sipped her coffee. "You look good in brown."

"You must've been right, Jake. He's a LOT nicer now that he's slept." She and Jake laughed, while Chance scowled.

"Let's just get to work." He stormed out and went into the garage.

"Hey, relax, tiger, I was joking." Ayoka smiled and gave him a pat on the back. "I didn't mean it."

"Yeah, well…" Chance shrugged and got to work.

Over the next few weeks, the threesome got very close. Chance and Ayoka laughed together over Scardy Kat, and Jake laughed with her over David Litterbin. And that was just the beginning. They trained, worked, and sometimes fell asleep on the couch together. Ayoka was taught how to really control her body, especially after getting her tail kicked by Jake in martial arts. Jake trained her in Jujutsu, karate, and every art he knew. She could soon beat him, but only just.

Another thing that Chance had to adjust to, was that Ayoka had given him the nickname 'Tiger'. She called him that just to tweak him at first, then it was to be friendly.

Chance helped her adjust to the ride they made for her: the Turbobike. It was the exact same as the Turbo Kat, just smaller and with similar missiles. The only other big difference was that it could go from a jet to a motorbike, and in just seconds. That was helpful, since she preferred a bike to a jet.

After months of training, and only a few calls, she was finally ready for a big one. Her chance came when an emergency call went over the Enforcer's radio.

"Attention all squad cars," a familiar voice said.

"Hey, that's Felina!" Jake grinned, since Felina happened to be his favorite Enforcer.

"Sh!" Ayoka shushed him and listened to the call.

"Dark Kat has been spotted in the down town area. All cars, keep your eyes open."

"That's the least friendly side of town." Akoya grimaced. "I should know."

"Maybe we should check it out." Jake grinned and threw his rag down. "I'm thinking the SWAT Kats need to introduce their newest member."

"Alright!" Ayoka gave him and Chance a high five, then ran down.

They changed quickly, then climbed into their jets.

"Remember, Bullet," T-Bone warned her. "No hero stuff. We only want to get in there and stop Dark Kat if we see him."

"Right." Bullet nodded, then shot off down the tunnel. "And when did we decide on the name 'Bullet'?"

"Well, think about it." T-Bone shot his jet out of the hangar right after her. "That thing looks like a bullet from up here."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm one."

"Just go with it." Razor shook his head and turned on the scanners.

They landed in an alleyway in the worst part of town.

"This doesn't bring back pleasant memories." Bullet grimaced and stood at the ready.

"Just keep it cool." Razor started moving around, looking for possible Dark Kat signs.

They hadn't been looking long, when a kat stumbled into the alley.

"Yeah, well, who needs ya, ya loser!" he snarled at someone. Then he noticed the three SWAT Kats. "What're you lookin' at?"

"You." Ayoka's claws came out and her fur stood up on end. "Remember me, Stripes?"

"Am I supposed to? You're a kat in a funny suit, so what?"

"I'm more than just a kat." In one swift motion, she leapt at him and suddenly had him by his shirt. "Look at me, Stripes! Tell me who I am!"

The kat's eyes went wide and he paled in terror. "T-t-tigress? Is dat you?"

"No. I'm not the trash you trained me to be, you sick animal!" Her claws started to dig into his fur.

"Bullet, what are you doing?" T-Bone started towards her, when she spun around, her eyes showing nothing but hatred and anger.

"Why don't you tell my partners here what all you did to me, Stripes?" She shook him roughly. "Tell them what you did to a kitten's parents and then how you messed up her life!"

"Alright, alright! Just put me down!" He quivered until his paws touched the ground. "Alright, so I did. I took yas away from yer home, made you a fighter, and you were unbeatable! Until you got soft."

Bullet shook him so hard, Razor thought his neck would snap. "TELL THEM WHAT YOU DID TO MY PARENTS!"

"Like what? Yeah, I killed them. I listened to them while they screamed about their little girl, then I watched them die."

"You're disgusting!" Bullet threw him on the ground. "How can you be proud of killing innocent kats? You ruined my life!"

"So true and so right," said an ominous voice. "You have every right to hate this kat for what he did." Out of nowhere, Dark Kat appeared. "You should let me take care of him."

"Get out of here, Dark Kat." Razor hissed and let his claws out.

"Didn't you hear the she? This creature isn't even worth protecting. Bring him to me, my creeplings."

Several little pink lizards with wings jumped at the terrified tom, who screamed and hid behind Bullet.

Bullet, though she didn't know why, defended him as best she could. Razor and T-Bone jumped in and helped, but they weren't strong enough for all the creeplings. The tom was soon in Dark Kat's huge paws.

"Stop squirming," he snapped, strapping a collar onto Stripe's neck. "Now, go get the SWAT Kats."

"No way! I'm outta hea!" The tom started to run away, when he suddenly stopped.

Dark Kat was pressing some button on a remote. "Too bad."

Stripes shuddered, screamed in pain, and collapsed, lifeless.

Razor checked him. "He's dead!"

"You-gra!" Bullet launched herself at Dark Kat, her claws tearing into his flesh.

"You pest!" He grabbed her by the throat and held her in mid air until she started choking. "Maybe you'll be a good one to try my mind control on." He put another collar around her neck and dropped her. "Now, go get the SWAT Kats!"

Bullet started to disobey, when a huge electric charge went throughout her body. "AH!" She collapsed, and got up again. "Guys," she panted. You have to trust me. Don't move."

"Bullet." T-Bone was worried. Even she wasn't strong enough to withstand too many of those shocks. "We can't."

"Guys, just trust me. I know what I'm doing." She smiled and started moving towards them.

"I hope you know what you're doing!" T-Bone braced himself as she jumped on his back.

"Gotcha!" Bullet knew that there were several definitions for the words 'get them'. She took her pick.

"A smart allic of a she kat, is she? Very well, then… KILL THE SWAT KATS!"

"You might want to run now!" If she could get far enough away, maybe the control wouldn't work. She took off after the other two SWAT Kats, hoping that Dark Kat wouldn't be able to actually control her.

"T-Bone, I have an idea." Razor and T-Bone paused to hide from the dangerous she kat. "If Dark Kat can control her with that collar, I might be able to short circuit it."

"So do it."

"But it's risky. I haven't done any tests with this device yet. Yeah, it'll work, but when it does, it could release a shock powerful enough to fry her. And I mean, REALLY fry her."

"I hate it when there's no choice." They both jumped when Bullet landed in front of them. "Bullet."

"Guys, Dark Kat's trying to control my- ah!- mind," she panted. "Run."

", we think we can help you."

"Guys-" She screamed as she was shocked. "RUN!" Her eyes went blank as she launched herself at them. Dark Kat had total control now.

"CRUD!" T-Bone ran out of her way. "We need to do it, Razor. We don't have a choice."

"I know. But the risk- watch it!" He protected a kat, who was in Bullet's path. "She's going after anyone. We have to hurry. If I can get to the Turbokat and work on it there, I might be able to fix it."

"We don't have any time." T-bone jumped into a window to hide. "We have to do it before she really hurts someone."

"I know." Razor looked worried and hurt. "I just wish- gah!" He was being strangled by Bullet.

"Razor!" T-Bone grabbed Bullet and pinned her. "Razor, now!"

The building suddenly exploded.

"CRUD!" T-Bone looked around and saw Bullet. The struggle to reclaim her mind showed on her face. "Bullet, hold on."

Razor snuck up behind her and strapped the device to her collar. "Sorry, Bullet." He turned it on and waited.

Within seconds, Bullet started shuddering. The other two could see sparks flying off of her fur.

"No!" Razor tried to take it off, but the damage was done. Bullet sank to the ground, twitching and shaking.

"Ayoka!" Chance knelt by her side and tried to comfort her as she screamed in pain. "Hang on."

After a moment, it stopped.

"Chance," Bullet panted, barely conscious. "You- you guys gotta- stop- Dark Crud."

"No. We need to get you to a safe place."

"There's no- time. Dark Kat will- hurt many others- unless you stop him- now."

"But, Bullet-" T-Bone started.

"Go, Tiger. I- can wait."

"She's right, T-Bone. We have to stop Dark Kat."

T-Bone looked at her for a long moment. Her flight suit was burned and damaged beyond repair, and her fur was singed in some places. He picked her up and carefully put her in an alley. "You stay here. We'll be back for you."

"Go." She gave him a quick smile, and lost all consciousness.

"Let's go, Razor." T-Bne cracked his knuckles. 'Now it's personal, Dark Kat.' They went out openly and stood there.

"You want us, Dark Kat? Well, here we are!" Razor turned on his scanner. "Come and get us."

"I hope this keeps anymore kats from getting hurt," T-Bone muttered.

"Ah, the SWAT Kats. But where's your little friend? I had other plans for her."

"It doesn't matter. We're the ones you want."

"So you are. Get them, my creeplings."

"Hold it right there, Dark Kat!"

"Commander Feral!" T-Bone had never been so happy to see the grumpy kat.

"This is the Enforcers. Surrender now!"

"Humph. I was wondering when you would show up, you pathetic piece of fur." Dark Kat turned his creeplings to Feral.

"Felina, look around for any kats that might need help."

"Got it!" Felina snuck away to check around. She found a few kats that were hiding, but no one else in the streets. Then she began checking alleyways. "What's that stench?" She covered her nose and grimaced. "It smells like burnt- TIGRESS!" She ran to her old friend's side. "Tigress, can you hear me?"

"Huh?" Bullet stirred. "F-Felina? Is that you?"

"Look at you! How do you get into these messes?"

"It isn't easy. The SWAT Kats, are they alright?"

"They'll live. But I need to get you somewhere safe."

"The roads are all blocked off by Dark Kat."

"I know. But the apartment I share with my uncle is close by."

"I don't think I can move."

"It's alright. I'll carry you." Felina picked her up and hurried her to the apartment so she could clean her.

Meanwhile, the creeplings had almost outnumbered the SWAT Kats and the Enforcers.

"Crud, they're everywhere!" T-Bone punched a creepling and took one off Feral's back. "And they're spreading out!"

"What about Bullet?" Razor took out a creepling and dodged two more. "If they find her, she's dead!"

"Who's Bullet?" Feral knocked two creeplings together and wiped his paws. "I could have an enforcer look for him."

"Her," T-Bone corrected. "She's a few alleys back."

"Get on it," Feral snapped to a cadet.

"Yes, sir." The young kat ran off and was back several minutes later. "No signs of anyone, sir."

"No." T-Bone felt raw anger course through him. "Dark Kat! Where is she?"

"Gone, I'd hope." Dark Kat smiled wickedly.

T-Bone felt his anger start to surface. "You coward!" he snarled. "If I get my paws on you-"

"Oh, shut up." Dark Kat sent more creeplings after them.

"T-Bone, we gotta get that device to blow near him."

"No prob." T-Bone grabbed the control collar that had fallen off Ayoka. "Do it, buddy."

"Right." Razor set the collar up, then threw it at Dark Kat.

As soon as it touched the ground, it blew into many pieces, throwing Dark Kat off his paws and into a sewer hole.

"After him!" Feral took his Enforcers down the hole to get Dark Kat once and for all.

"Come on, T-Bone. We have to go find Bullet."

"Right." They went back to the alleyway she should have been in. "Not good." T-Bone looked all around. "Where is she?"

"Let's get back to the Turbo Kat and see if we can't get the signal on her Glovatrix."

"Right." They ran back to the Turbo Kat and found her signal. "She's in some building."

"That's the apartment complex just a few blocks away." Razor set the coordinates. "We'll be there in just a sec."

In the apartment, Felina had Ayoka on the bed.

"How you feeling?"

"I've been better." Ayoka winced as she shifted a bit. "But at least I'm not dead."

"What were you doing out there?"

"It's a long story, but first, I think you should know that my real name is Ayoka."

"Oh, you finally found out?"

"Yep."

"Well, there's something you should-" they were interrupted by a loud banging on the window. "What is that?" Felina opened the window and saw the SWAT Kats on grappling hooks.

"Hey, Felina. We think you have out other team mate." Razor smiled. "Can we see her?"

"Uh- yeah." Felina let them in. "Wait, she's your new team mate?"

"It's a long story." Razor watched as T-bone went straight to Ayoka.

"How are you?" He crouched next to her and gently held her paw.

"I'm still alive."

"Heh." T-Bone grinned. "Glad to see you're well enough to still sass me."

"Always, tiger."

"Um, hate to butt in, guys, but shouldn't we go before Feral gets here?" Razor jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

"That's a good idea." T-Bone picked up Ayoka and started out the door.

"I can help you guys with her," Felina offered.

"Thanks."

They arrived at the hangar, with Felina blind folded of course. There was an emergency treatment station in the hangar to treat serious injuries, which they used for her.

"Hang on, Ayoka." T-Bone held her paw as Razor hooked her up on fluids. "You're gonna be fine."

"I hope so, Tiger. I feel so tired." She closed her eyes for a moment. "Hey, Felina?"

"Right here." Felina grinned and moved to her side. "What is it?"

"What were you going to say, back in your apartment?"

"Oh, that… maybe you should wait until you're a bit better."

"No, just tell me."

"Well, you know that the Enforcers have certain documents that even the SWAT Kats can't locate?"

"Yeah?"

"Well… there was one that I never showed you about your… your father."

"What?" Ayoka's senses suddenly perked up.

"Well… You know Stripes?"

"How can I forget him?"

"He's… I really think you should wait to-"

"FELINA." Ayoka's voice was dangerous. "Tell me."

"He's… your father."

"What?"

"The tomkat that was killed… he was your only uncle. It was your father that took you away."

"My- he wasn't any father to me!" Her fur rose again and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Ayoka, you have to calm down." Razor worried for her body. After so much already, if she pushed it too much farther, she may go into shock or worse.

"Ayoka, Razor's right." Felina tried to reach out for her friend, but she was no longer in control of her body. Ayoka had such a shock in so many ways, it was surprising that she was still conscious.

"Ayoka?" T-Bone tried to calm her. "It's alright, he's gone."

"That- that- oh, that MURDERER!" Ayoka jumped up, needles flying from her worn body.

"Ayoka!" T-Bone tried to stop her, but her brute strength was too much.

"Felina, get out of here!" Razor ducked as Ayoka trashed some machinery. "Get up the ladder, now!"

Felina had no choice but to scurry up the ladder as the two toms tried to keep Ayoka from hurting herself.

"Ayoka, come on, stop this." T-Bone tried to get through the crazed she kat. "You need to rest up."

"T-Bone, we don't have a choice. We'll have to gas her."

"Razor, she could go into total shock that way!"

"Just get up your mask on!" Razor threw a gas capsule at Ayoka and put on his own mask. The hangar was filled with a thick smog, which cleared slowly. To their surprise, Ayoka was still standing once it cleared.

"Ayoka?" T-Bone moved cautiously towards her while Felina climbed back down.

"Is she alright, Jake?"

"Y- What?"

"You're Jake Clawson, aren't you?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"I saw everything up there. This is under the salvage yard!"

Jake sighed. "I'll explain later."

T-Bone approached Ayoka. "Are you ok?" He tried to read her face, but it was twisted in an effort to keep her emotions in. That had been her training, all her life, she was told to hide her true feelings.

"I-I don't know, Chance. I'm so tired. That- monster- he ruined my life."

"I know." As he moved closer, T-bone noticed that Ayoka was slowly sinking to the ground. "You're gonna be ok now. He's long gone."

"I know." She was struggling to stay upright.

"Ayoka?"

"Hm?"

"I'm gonna hold you now, alright?" He started to reach out to hold her; he didn't want her to fall.

"Chance," She smiled weakly. "I'd like that." She collapsed against him as his arms caught her.

"Ayoka?" Felina glanced at her friend.

"She's out. Let's hook her up, Razor."

The two toms hooked Ayoka up to the fluids again, then left the room to talk to Felina. They told her about becoming the SWAT Kats, finding the parts in the salvage yard, Ayoka joining them, the long training, and finally, all that had happened that day.

They had been talking for three hours when they checked on Ayoka.

"Ayoka? Can you hear me?" Chance crouched next to her side. "Come on, just open your eyes." He stroked her paw. "I know it's been tough. I just wish there was some way to make it easier on you."

"Chance?" Ayoka slowly opened her eyes. "Tiger, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm right here." He grinned at her. "How are you?"

"I'm so tired."

"It's alright. You're gonna be ok."

"I wanna get up."

"You've got to be kidding." Chance looked at her like she'd gone crazy. "You're not strong enough."

"Please, Chance. I have to get up."

"Alright." He reluctantly helped her stand, keeping his arms around her to support her. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do. Just keep me standing for a minute."

"Hey, Felina, how about we go see that one waepon you wanted to look at?"

"Wha-hey!"

Jake half dragged her from the room to give the other two some time to themselves.

"Very subtle, that Jake," Ayoka muttered.

"Yeah. So, why did you want to stand so badly?"

"I just felt like I had to move." She leaned against him.

"Ok. So, is there anything you need before I put you back?"

"Not really."

"Anything else you want to do? Go out?"

"No."

"So, are you ready to lie down?"

"No." She surprised him when she hugged him. "Just being here is nice."

Chance was shocked. He had always thought that that kind of affection could never come from Ayoka. But then again, she wasn't heartless.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"I dunno. What do couples do?"

"What?" Chance had been shocked before, but that was nothing compared to the shock of her saying that.

"Oh, boy." Ayoka playfully shook her head. "Do I have to spell everything out for you?" She smiled and moved closer to him.

"I don't hear anything," Felina said quietly, with her ear pressed against the door.

"Me either. Maybe he's ready to come out." Jake stood and opened the door.

What the two saw wasn't what they expected. Chance quickly broke away from Ayoka, blushing furiously. Ayoka, however, wasn't so easliy embarassed.

"Do you mind?" she snapped.

"Oh, sorry." Jake quickly shut the door and turned a deep red. "Oops."

"Yeah." Felina started laughing. "Did you see his face?"

"Yeah." Jake chuckled. "He wasn't expecting us, that's for sure!"

The other two could hear them form inside.

"Jake isn't gonna let me forget that anytime soon." Chance blushed again and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, boy."

"Don't worry about it, tiger. We can ALWAYS TEASE HIM ABOUT HIS CRUSH ON FELINA!" she said to the door. The laughter stopped. "There we go."

Chance chuckled. "I knew there was something I liked about you."

"Really?" Ayoka looked up at him. "And what is that?"

"You're you." Chance grinned. "That ok?"

"Yeah." She nodded and smiled. "Yeah it is."


End file.
